Pros: Fast; easy to play; more fun than you can imagine
Cons: Not enough tracks; dark at times; Ow! My hand!
The bottom line: Great racing title for the Dreamcast. It's more of an arcade game than simulation, and that means it's easy to learn and fun as all get out.
Hydro Thunder for the Dreamcast is the kind of game that reminds me of the early days of video gaming. Before you start thinking of rotten graphics and shallow gameplay and wondering what the heck I'm talking about, let me explain.

Back when the Atari 2600 was king, the best games for that system had two things in common. First, they were very easy to play. The controls were simple and someone could be up and running on one in less than five minutes. The best games, indeed, were ones you could just pick up and play with little instruction.

Second, they were very addictive. Whether that addiction came from the challenge, the sheer joy of playing Space Invaders or whatever, some of those old Atari cartridges just kept people coming back again and again.

Hydro Thunder has both of the aforementioned elements in spades, yet the 128-bit architecture of the Dreamcast is utilized to produce a game that's beyond what any of us could have imagined in late 1970s.

Hydro Thunder, simply put, is an incredibly addictive racer that's as fun with two players as it is for one. That means this is a game that you can show a friend and immediately get started on some serious competition (my Wife and I played for two hours straight tonight -- serious stuff).

Hydro Thunder, as the name implies, is a game centered around racing ultra-fast boats. There are 13 courses in all (three easy, three medium, three hard and four bonus levels that can be unlocked). Also, there are 13 boats in all (easy, medium, hard and four that have to be unlocked through successful competition).

In the single player games, the player is dropped at the end of a field of 16 computer-controlled opponents that are extremely competitive. They can be beaten, but it takes some doing. In two-player mode, the player squares off against a friend and there are no computer-controlled boats.

In all games, the players start off on "easy" courses and can choose from "easy" boats. In order to move up to the "medium" level (both in courses and boats), the competitors must place in the top 3 on all courses on the "easy" level. Advancement works the same in all courses, with the bonus courses becoming available after everything else has been "beaten."

Essentially, the races take place on courses featuring various hazards and features. Some courses are set up in a race track format, one is on ice, another is on a lake and some are in well-known locations (the "New York Disaster" course is the most disturbing, what with the events of Sept. 11 and all). Sadly, some of the courses are quite dark and it's hard to figure out what the hell is going on in them. Still, players adjust to the dark environments well enough, but those courses really should have been lightened up a bit.

As for the boats, they are all equipped with a "boost" system, which gives the boats a temporary burst of speed. "Boost" power-ups can be found all over the course, and add to the amount of "boost fuel" available. The boost feature can also be used in conjunction with the brake to "jump" the boat into secret passages, boost power-ups that are hard to reach and etc. Also, all boats activate a special hull when the boost is activated, thus allowing boats to ram obstacles and other players at will.

The boats handle differently and have special characteristics. Naturally, boats on the "easy" level are simple to control, while more advanced boats have some advantages but require special handling (the worst boat of the lot, in my opinion, is "Razorback," whick is very tough to keep under control). The various characteristics are important, too. Some boats fly better when jumped or driven over a ramp, while some offer quick acceleration. Still others activate the special hull quicker when the boost is pressed.

Oh, and my personal favorite boat in the lot is "Chumdinger," a bonus boat that is little more than the type of fishing boat you see at the lake. However, the thing is well-animated with a fisherman who controls the hand-steered motor and a dog who stands at the front of the boat and wags his tail. Nifty!

The graphics here are detailed, colorful and pretty darn crisp. Since these boats can hit speeds in excess of 200 MPH, the frame rate is important as a good sense of speed must be conveyed by the game. I'm proud to report there's no lag in the framerate, even on two-player games. This title offers fast fun and fantastic controls.

The biggest problem I have with this title has to do, primarily, with the Dreamcast controller. Acceleration is activated with the right trigger, and that causes the player's hand to cramp pretty quickly. After a couple of hours of this game, my Wife and I both developed that "claw" grip which is common to Dreamcast owners who play race games. I feel like I should wrap my wrist with an ACE bandage before playing this game, in fact. I can only imagine how much damage extended play does to my poor, aching hand.

Also, 13 courses just doesn't seem like enough. After they're all unlocked, the player can race whatever he wants. However, throwing in some more courses on that one-gig Dreamcast CD wouldn't have been too hard.

However, this game achieves what the designers wanted, I suppose -- an arcade racer that's as much fun as it is unrealistic. This is one of those titles that will stay near the top of your collection of Dreamcast games. It may lack some depth, but it offers fast and furious fun.

In spite of its shortcomings, this is a fantastic racing title for the Dreamcast. Certainly, I'd advise Dreamcast owners to pick up a copy of this. You might lose some sleep by staying up and playing it, but the sense of humor conveyed in the game and the addictive nature of it makes a few late nights worth it.